In Memory

Miss Loretta M. Growney, 98, of Summit Street, a school teacher for 46 years prior to her retirement, died Monday, August 24, 1992, at St. Luke's Manor, where she had been a resident for a brief time.

Miss Growney was born March 6, 1894, in Bergen, a daughter of the late James and Nellie Fitzsimmons Growney.

She had taught in Batavia publlic schools from 1916 to 1962, when she retired. She was a member of St. Joseph's Church, its Rosary and Altar Society, Catholic Daughters of the Americas, and New York State Retired Teachers' Association. She was a graduate of St. Joseph's Academy, Batavia High School, Buffalo Normal School (now Buffalo State Teachers' College), and Canisius College in Buffalo, where she received her master's degree.

Surviving are a sister, Genevieve M. Growney of Batavia; two nephews, Patrick and Michael Neville, a niece Moya Peterson, and several great-nieces and great-nephews.

She was a sister of the late Monsignor Francis A. Growney, the Rev. Vincent Growney and Helen Neville.

Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the Bohm Mortuary. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Joseph's Church, with burial in St. Joseph's Cemetery.

How do you eulogize 'the very best'. Without sentence diagramming, life would simply not have been worth writing. My step father and I took care of her yard well before taking English from her at the Ross Street School. I had been introduced to her when very young. The first day of class, she is calling out the roll when she gets to my name. Sitting in the back of the room, I hear, in her high pitched growl, 'Allen Chatt, come up here.' Wet with perspiration, I stumbled to the front of the room. Miss Loretta continued, 'I know you, I know your father ... ... ... you're a good boy. Go back to your seat now.' With the assistance of two classmates, I returned to my desk.